BBBS

[Laveau 67]

Do any of you have any experience with this organization?

[Teacher Mark 53]

Do any of you have any experience with this organization?

I was a Big Brother for a teenager a few years ago. We never really bonded though and work became a bigger priority.

[IAMX 3,055]

MINOTAUR.

I mean, no, sorry.

[kk_mine 0]

I did and I loved the experience. The only thing is getting so attached to the children you work with. I first started working with a boy, Nick. He had both parents in the household but there were a lot of children and his mom felt he needed more attention. I really reached out to him and his family. I would pick him up and go to his school and they would allow him to go with me away from the class. We would read and I helped him with homework. I talked to his teacher about what he could improve on. Got to see his classroom etc..

My sister had a lot of clothes from my nephew so I gave them to him and his brothers as they were real nice clothes. He was a really sweet child. His family did not have much at all. But the things I was able to give him he held on to them as if he was never going to get anything else. He loved when I would come to visit as that was his time! Another sister of his was in the program working with someone else. I felt bad as one day I had to get a call from BBBS and find out his mom was having some trouble and just up and left town.

We did not even get to say goodbye! It hurts just thinking about that and that was some years ago. I thought how he felt and I know he was sad that she just uprooted them like that. His life was so unstable as a child. Place to place different schools, leaving friends etc.. Sad. I was also at the time a volunteer at the animal shelter and I had a chance to take him with me and we walked the dogs. That was a new experience for him. But I did what I could when I was helping him. Letting him know that he did not have to be on the streets, doing drugs, in jail etc.. I hope he is ok, wherever he may be.

I also worked with a girl after he left. She was a sweet girl but her mom would not do anything with them at all. She began to act like I was her mom. I was just trying to be a role model and a big sister not a mom. It was hard with her as she lived in a bad neighborhood and not much to do. I was her outlet so to speak. We went everywhere. But then she began to not appreciate the things or places I took her. I was in college and I could not afford a lot. So I would go to the library let her check out books, if it was a free kids fare downtown (fire dept, strickers, activities for the kids etc) we were there. But then she started asking for better places to go to. I don't know if the mom was behind it or not. I helped her with homework. I never went to her school though. So I thought it was not working out with her and I soon left from being her big sister. It was a hard decision but it was not working out. The program was not what her family wanted, it was as if her mom wanted a babysitter. Or maybe I missed Nick, I don't know. He did not act selfish when I took him out. His family loved when I would come to visit. But all in all it was a great experience that I could show them they could have a better life, no matter where they lived, how much $ they had & they did not have to end up a statistic.